by Tynan Worsley-Dragland
This past July, the municipal government updated a bylaw in an attempt to keep your pets safe from a particularly dangerous plant: foxtail barley. The Community Standards Bylaw, which encompasses all community nuisances from noise to fire pit use, was updated recently to change the permitted height for these plants from 15 cm to 8 cm.
Foxtail barley, as pictured in this article, are a common, non-invasive plant species in Alberta. Foxtails possess a sharp awn on the tip of their shoot which bears their seeds. Unfortunately for our pets, these foxtail awns pose a serious threat to wellbeing if they penetrate the skin, or if they are swallowed or inhaled. These seeds are not just sharp; they also burrow into tissue and continue to grow. Although pets, particularly dogs who love walks, are most likely to sustain foxtail barley injuries and deaths, humans can also be at risk from these flowering foes.
How can we protect ourselves from harm this summer? Let’s start by playing defence. If you take your pets for walks, be sure to scan for foxtails on the path and keep your pets close. Avoid letting your dogs run loose in untrimmed fields that may be masking a foxtail patch; look for dog parks that are regularly maintained in your area. After every walk, check your pets’ paws for foxtails: check on the pads, between their toes, and nestled within the fur of their feet. If you spot something, or your pet begins to cough, sneeze, or scratch excessively, it is best to call for emergency veterinary services as soon as possible. Of course, this applies to you and your family as well!
Now that we can protect and check our pets and ourselves, let’s start playing offence. With respect to this bylaw, we—citizens of Calgary—play an important role in ensuring our pets’ safety. This summer, check your property for these pesky plants. Any of these plants at 8 cm or higher should be pulled, preferably before they produce seeds that pose the health concerns in question. However, ensure you do so safely and properly; always wear gardening gloves to provide a layer of protection from the seeds. It is best to remove the seed heads first to prevent their accidental spread.
Now, if you are at all like me, hand-pulling after the potential health effects I described seems out of the picture. No problem! You can always resort to using a weed wacker, although it is recommended that you clean the blades after use to prevent seed dispersal. Since many of us have spare masks lying around, why not repurpose those and make a DIY face shield? Shovelling the soil below the plants and resodding is also an option, and a very effective one at that if you have a significant number of these plants in your yard. Even pouring boiling water on foxtails can kill them. Get creative!
Regardless of whether you opt for manual-pulling or another method, please shovel all seed heads and stems into a bag before placing them into the bin. For more information on the bylaw, as well as information on foxtail barley removal and disposal, please visit the City of Calgary website.
Let’s do our part in the war against foxtail barley! Stay safe this summer!
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the WSCRCA or its members.
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